Where did the phrase Keep your friends close and your enemies closer come from?
It comes most directly from a line spoken by Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974), written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola: My father taught me many things here. He taught me in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close but your enemies closer.
What movie quote Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
The Godfather: Part II
The Godfather: Part II 1974 film Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Who originally said the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
The first recorded instance for this phrasing comes from Gabriel Manigault, who in his 1884 Political Creed described the sense that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” as a “natural feeling.”
Who quoted the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
There is a quote from Winston Churchill made to his personal secretary John Colville on the eve of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa).
Did Winston Churchill say the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
What does the saying Keep your friends close and enemies closer mean?
Meaning. to keep a keen eye on enemies beyond what one might have on their friends. to be vigilant about the actions taken by enemies. it’s not a good idea to bother your enemies, be friendly with them but stay alert.
Is the enemy of my enemy is my friend a paradox?
Other examples of paradoxes: The greatest thing that can come from hate is love, and William Shakespeare proved this paradox in Romeo and Juliet. My mother taught me that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and this paradox has been useful while dealing with both high school and workplace politics.
What is the origin of the saying the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is an ancient proverb which suggests that two parties can or should work together against a common enemy. A phrase that some people consider to be similar is found in a Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, the Arthashastra, which dates to around the 4th century BC.
Why is it important to keep your enemies closer?
When your enemies are close, it’s easier for your allies to work with you. Allies are often the least helpful in analyzing your ideas. Furthermore, your allies may have just as much difficulty with your enemy as you, and that’s part of the reason you’re friends.
